Region: Bujumbura
Elevation: 1100 masl
About: The Kirasa washing station in one of the 13 mills that form the Akawa Project, created to help producers escape the cycle of poverty in a sustainable and equitable way. The project is based on UTZ certification standards and focuses on good agricultural practices, environmental responsibility, and social equity as the central tenets of success for project members.
Kirasa was originally a government-run mill established in 1992, but in 2012 it was purchased by Succam Exports with the aim of producing higher-quality coffee and better supporting the local farmers. Kirasa’s manager, Emile, and agronomist, Anne-Marie, produce organic fertiliser from discarded coffee pulp. The fertiliser is used on seedlings in the nursery, which are handed out to farmers to renovate their coffee gardens.
